Ghost from Murdoch's Past
by WanderingNYer67
Summary: This pics up from the end of Series 7. SPOILERS if you have not seen the end of S7. The story is a bit of a twist and when I wrote it I was annoyed with Julia. You'll see as you read it. Please note: this is my first published fan fiction so please be gentle and NO FLAMES PLEASE! Thanks for taking the time to read this.


**Ghost from Murdoch's Past**

Prologue

It is four weeks after William and Julia announced their engagement. Wedding preparations are in full swing.

Chapter One

A woman looking worn and bedraggled is making her way along the road into Toronto. She could be mistaken for a beggar woman by her appearance.

Unbeknown to her, a farmer in a horse cart is coming up the road behind her. His timing is perfect as he gets closer to the woman, she collapses on the side of the road. The farmer jumps out of his cart to assist the woman. She is completely unconscious. The only option is for the farmer to get the woman in his cart and take her to the hospital in Toronto.

The trip took two hours as the farmer stopped several times to check on the unconscious woman. One of the times, the farmer noted that even though the woman looked poor and bedraggled, she was wearing a fine gold claddagh ring and engagement ring on her left hands. Also her hands did not have the appearance of a labourer. The farmer wondered what fate had befallen the woman.

Chapter Two

**Station Four **

"Detective Murdoch, we need to discuss the matter of your last outing as a bachelor" said Constable George Crabtree. William gave George a puzzled look and replied "George, whatever you deem appropriate. It seems silly to me but as best man, if you say it must be done so be it."

Just as George was going to reply, Inspector Brackenreid put his head around the door "Murdoch, you're needed at Toronto General. A "Jane Doe" has been brought in. Apparently a local farmer found her collapsed on the side of the road just outside the city." William, relieved of the interruption of the discussion of rites of bachelor passage answered "Right on it sir. George, duty calls."

**Toronto General Hospital**

William and George arrive at the hospital and see the doctor on call. Dr Kendrick explains to Detective Murdoch and Constable Crabtree the circumstances under which the woman arrived. He also explained that the woman was suffering from exhaustion and a wound to her head which could be contributing the fact that she has been unconscious for 24 hours. "Doctor, is the woman in possession of any form of identification?" Detective Murdoch asked. The doctor replied that the woman is wearing an engagement and wedding ring and had two scars on her body.

"Would it be possible to see the woman?" Detective Murdoch asks the doctor. The doctor nods, extends his arm and says "this way please."

As the doctor leads Detective Murdoch and Constable Crabtree to the woman's room, the first thing William sees are the rings on the woman's hand – an emerald engagement ring and a gold claddagh. William turns white as if he's seen a ghost and whispers "This is not possible". George noticing that William has gone very pale and looks like he is in shock asks William if he is alright and he looks like he's seen a ghost. All William can respond is "it's not possible". George growing concerned asks the doctor if there was somewhere they could take William until he gathered his wits. The doctor leads them to a side room where William can sit and compose himself. "Sir would you like me to have Dr Ogden come down?" William replies with a sharp "No! I don't want her here right now."

William manages to compose himself to the point of being able to ask Dr Kendrick if it would be possible to take a closer look at the rings. The doctor believes it shouldn't be a problem and goes to retrieve them. William ask George to accompany the doctor and bring the rings back to him.

While William is on his own, his thoughts wander to a time that he buried in the darkest recesses of his mind. He can still picture her face, the color of her eyes, he can even hear her laugh. He goes deeper and deeper into those memories. William is so deep in thought he doesn't hear George come into the room with the rings. Roused from his daydreams, William asks about the rings.

"Here they are sir. There is an inscription in the claddagh ring" George explains as he hands the rings to William.

William takes a deep breath as he holds the ring to make out the inscription:

"_MCM & WHM 14 April 1882. Two hearts forever one."_

For the second time that day, William's blood ran cold. George growing concerned over William's health as William has gone pale again asked him if he could make out the inscription. William replied "I can and I can also identify who the woman is." "Who is she, sir?" George asked impatiently.

William replies "She's my wife."

Chapter Three

The three men in the room were stood in stunned silence. George breaks the silence "Sir did I hear you correctly?" William answers "Yes George the woman in that hospital bed is my wife, Moira Murdoch." William then turns to the doctor and asks if he can go sit with her. In light of the revelation, Doctor Kendrick replies "of course, I can bring you through at once." As William rises and turns George grabs his arm and all he can say is "Sir?" William tells him he will explain it all in time. Right now he wants to see his wife. William dispatches George to go back to the station to speak to the farmer to pinpoint where he found the woman. William has George swear explicitly that he was not to mention the identification of the woman. And if anyone were to ask Detective Murdoch is taking care of personal business this afternoon.

Once William was on his own in the hospital room with Moira, he settled in a chair next to her bedside. As he looked upon the sleeping form of the wife believed dead for the last 10 years, he thought back to the day Moira disappeared.

The day started out as any other day. There wasn't anything unusual as they had their breakfast and talked about their plans for the day. William was heading off to his shift at the mill. Moira was planning to visit the widow across the road then head to town to get a few things. No one realized anything was amiss until William returned home that evening. He went across the road to speak with the widow and was told that Moira had been to visit around mid-morning. Moira told the widow that she was going into town and if the widow needed anything. The widow asked for ribbon to trim pillowcases she was making. The widow said that she saw Moira set off but that Moira never returned. A search party was gathered and as they went along the path by the river they found Moira's shawl and blood on a stone by the river. The police searched the river but there was no body found. After investigation and inquest the evidence pointed to accidental death which the judge ruled. For William he was inconsolable with his grief. He sold their house and left town heading for Toronto to put the past behind him.

William was roused out of his thoughts when he heard a faint voice "Billy? Is that really you Billy?" He looked over and his eyes met the blue eyes of his wife. Before he could say anything she asked him "where are we? How did we get here?"

**Julia Ogden's Sitting Room**

Julia is pouring tea for herself and Dr Emily Grace who had come for a visit. They were discussing the wedding preparations. "Julia are you going to remain Dr Ogden once you're married or will you be Dr Murdoch?" Emily asked. "I will remain Dr Ogden as that is who I am. William would prefer that I take his name but he understands why I need to keep my maiden name" replied Julia. "Has William told you where he's taking you on honeymoon?" "He's kept that a secret even though I have pressed him a number of times." Julia answered. Emily continued "there must be something big in the works as George mentioned that William was out of the station for the afternoon attending to 'personal matters'" "Sounds very interesting" Julia giggled.

**Toronto General Hospital**

"Moira where have you been these past 10 years?" was the first question that came to William's mind. Moira looked confused and lost. "Billy I don't know. Last I remember before my 'absence' is walking along the river. I picked some berries off a bush and then went to the river to wash my hands off. That's all I remember until about a month ago when I awoke at the bottom of a flight of stairs remembering who I am."

"It is thought that you fell and banged your head when you fell into the river. Maybe the second fall reversed what the first injury caused." William answered almost to himself. "Moira there is something else you need to know. Seven years after you disappeared you were declared legally dead." "So are you saying I no longer exist?" she asked incredulously. "Basically but I'm sure that can be all reversed" William answered. "We just to re-establish to the proper authorities you are who you are." Moira replied "that should be easy enough to accomplish."

William and Moira sat in silence looking at each other. William broke the silence by quietly asking "Moira where have you been all these years? I did not know what to do. What to think. I was lost without you Moira. You were my partner, my best friend. Then you were gone." There were tears in his eyes when Moira looked into his face. "I don't remember much before waking up at the bottom of the stairs. I was in a house in Turncote. From what I was able to make out that I was employed as a schoolteacher. I didn't know what to do so I started making my way to Toronto. And here we are. Billy I'm so sorry. You know I would never have done anything to hurt you. I love you so much. You are my life." Now Moira had tears in her eyes as well as William.

"Moira there's something I need to tell you." Moira looked at William with a puzzled expression "go on Billy." "As you had been declared deceased…." "Billy you've met someone else." William nodded silently. "And you are….married?" William shook his head in the negative. "Engaged?" William nodded. Moira let out a deep sigh and William took her hand. "Billy there is only one thing to do." "What's that?" "Tomorrow I will contact the priest at the parish church to begin annulment proceedings." William began to speak and Moira put her hand up to silence him. "Billy it's not your fault what has happened between us. I was declared deceased and you moved on. It's only normal. The only reasonable thing to do is get an annulment. I'm sure the church will understand the extraordinary circumstances." William sat there stunned silent at the amazing sacrifice and selflessness of the woman in front of him. It brings back all the reasons why he fell completely, totally and passionately in love with the woman lying in the bed in front of him.

**Station Four**

Dr Julia Ogden, dressed for dinner, walked into the station house looking for William. They were supposed to meet for dinner and he didn't show up. Concerned Julia went to the one place he most definitely would be.

"Dr Ogden what brings you down here?" called Inspector Brackenreid. "Oh hello Inspector. I was looking for William. We were supposed to have dinner and he didn't arrive. Would you know where he might be?" she asked the Inspector. "Constable Crabtree said Murdoch had personal matters to attend to this afternoon." "But it's 9 pm surely he can't be on personal matters at this hour?" Inspector Brackenreid had a thought for a moment. "When Constable Crabtree left Murdoch he was at the hospital. Could he still be there?" the Inspector asked with a shrug. Dr Ogden said she would go by the hospital and see if he had checked back in on the unidentified woman.

**Toronto General Hospital**

William is still at the hospital with Moira. He was sitting with her on her hospital and they are laughing, joking and reminiscing about old times. They are both laughing so hard tears are streaming down their faces and William has put his hand on Moira's. They are both so caught up with their conversation that they do not notice the person standing in the doorway.

Julia followed the sounds of laughter to find William sat on a hospital bed with a dark haired, blue eyed woman. From their body language you could tell that they were very close….intimate at some time.

"William where have you been?" the pretty blonde woman spoke from the doorway. Moira looked from her to William. "Julia I'm so sorry. The case I was put on this morning has turned out to be more complicated than originally thought." William began explaining. Julia walked past him and up to the woman in the bed "I'm Dr Julia Ogden, William's fiancée. And you are?" Moira looked at Julia the almost superior way Julia was presenting herself to Moira. Moira smiled and extended her hand "Pleased to meet you Dr Ogden. I'm Moira Murdoch. Billy's wife."

"WILLIAM?!" Julia said crossly.

Chapter Four

"William would you PLEASE explain exactly what is going on? Who is this woman claiming to be your wife?!" Julia asked in a raised voice. "Julia please. Please sit down and we will tell you everything." William implored. "Oh so you are a 'we' now?" Julia retorted. "William, I do not want to have this conversation here. Please can we leave now?" William feeling caught in the middle was carefully measuring his words before saying them. Before he said anything, Moira interjected "Billy I've taken up way too much of your time. Thank you for helping me today."

William stood up and said "Good night Moira. Julia shall we?"

**Julia Ogden's Sitting Room**

"William, how could you?!" Julia shouted at William. The trip from the hospital to Julia's house was in silence. William vacillated between being relieved for the silence and wanting Julia to say something. "Julia would you please let me explain? This is not an easy subject to discuss but you need to know now that you've met Moira." Julia lowered herself wearily into the nearest chair and sighed "Go ahead William."

"Moira and I met when we were just 20 at a dance at the church. I was working at the mill, Moira was a teacher before we married. We married we were just 21. Our marriage was a good one. We had our ups and downs as any couple would. One day, I came home from work and Moira wasn't there. She said she was going to pay a visit to our neighbour across the road and go into town. I went to see the neighbour who said Moira had visited and was expected back in the afternoon but she never arrived. The police were contacted and a search conducted. They found Moira's shawl on the bank of the river and some blood on the stones. The coroner's verdict was Moira must have fallen into the river, banging her head on the rocks along the way and it was an accidental death. No body was ever found. After seven years with no sightings or evidence to say she was alive, Moira was legally declared dead. I moved to Toronto to start a new life and the rest you know."

"Yes William but you failed to tell me about her. You didn't think to mention that you did have a wife once. Did you think you could just ignore it?!" Julia's tone of voice raised as she spoke. "Julia please. I didn't mention it because it was a very painful period time for me." William paused and thought for a moment then continued "Julia are you angry that I didn't tell you or that Moira has shown up 2 months before the wedding?" "William don't be ridiculous! Do you think that I'm that shallow? I'm sorry for all the suffering you've gone through but it does open the question on how do we proceed?" "Moira is going to request to speak to the priest at the church to file for an annulment. Julia, Moira is being very pragmatic about this. She could easily cause a lot of upheaval and trouble but no she understands what has happened. And she doesn't want to interfere with our happiness. So please let Moira and I get the annulment sorted and there shouldn't be any delay in the wedding plans." William looked imploringly at Julia.

Julia sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity then she said quietly "William, I watched you with her before I made my presence known. There was something very….intimate about how you were with each other. Almost as if you both had mutual feelings for each other." "Julia I have a history with Moira. It is tragic what had happened between her and me. But as I have said she's very pragmatic. She was the one who said about the annulment and getting the process started as soon as possible. You see it will be okay." "If you say so William." Julia sighed. "I'm tired and it's been a long and very strange day.

**Toronto General Hospital**

It's later in the evening yet William finds himself back at the hospital. It's past visiting times but as he's detective he manages to pass the rules. He has so many questions he wants to ask Moira. But more he wants to feel as relaxed and comfortable as he did during the time he spent with her.

Moira was asleep when William walked into her room. He still pulled up a chair and sat down while loosening his tie. The nurse saw him there and asked if he needed anything. He said he was fine, he just wanted to sit with Moira.

Once William gets comfortable in the chair, he pulls a small book out of his inside coat pocket and starts reading. During the course of the evening, Moira had a restless night sleep. She seemed to be having bad dreams. Her head thrashed from side to side on the pillow and she would grip the bedclothes in her hand. William pulled his chair closer and held onto her left hand and that seemed to help comfort her.

When Moira woke during the evening the room was dark except for the glow a small lamp on the bedside table. Her left hand felt particularly warm and when she looked she saw William asleep in the chair next to the bed holding her hand. Oh Billy….I've missed you so much. I'm sorry to have put you through all this.

Chapter Five

**Toronto General Hospital**

The next time Moira woke, the room was bright with sunlight. The lamp was off and the chair that William had occupied during the night was now empty. Doctor Kendrick came into the room. "Good morning Mrs…..Murdoch?" "Yes doctor that is my name. When can I be released? I need to get some matters sorted." Doctor Kendrick reviewed Moira's notes. "We will keep an eye on you for one more day and if nothing amiss develops you should be able to go home tomorrow." "Thank you doctor. Would it be possible to get in touch with the priest at the parish church? I need to see him as soon as possible." Doctor Kendrick nodded and said he'd have matron ring the parsonage this morning.

**Station Four**

Detective Murdoch was not in the station for more than a minute before he heard the inspector shouting his name. "Murdoch!" William shakes his head and braces himself for the barrage from the inspector he would receive after disappearing yesterday.

"Good morning Inspector" William said as he walked into the inspector's office. "Bloody hell Murdoch. What happened to you yesterday? Crabtree said you had personal matters to attend to. Then Dr Ogden came here last night after you missed your dinner arrangements. What's going on? Are you getting cold feet?" "Inspector may I have a word with you in private?" The inspector motions for William to sit down as he closes the office door. "Are you alright Murdoch?" "Inspector yesterday I was sent out to attend a case of an unidentified woman brought into the hospital." The inspector nodded. "Well in a very odd turn of events, the woman wasn't actual unidentified. She's my wife." Inspector nearly fell out of his chair. "Say that again Murdoch?!" "I'll explain inspector. Before I came to Toronto, I was married. My wife – Moira – went missing 10 years ago and was presumed and declared dead. From what I was able to gather from speaking to her yesterday, she had some kind of blow to the head and lost her memory." "So what brings her back now?" the inspector asked. "Moira said one morning several weeks ago she woke up at the foot of the stairs in the house in Turncote and she knew who she was. She hadn't pieced together all of what she has been doing in 10 years. I'm going to speak to her again later today to see if she's remembered anything else." The inspector just sits there with his mouth open not knowing what to say at this point. The first question that pops into his head is "what does this mean for you and Dr Ogden now that you are still legally married?" William said "Moira is going to ask the church for an annulment. Under the exceptional circumstances there shouldn't be a problem with having an annulment granted." "And how does Dr Ogden feel about all this?" William sighs "needless to say she is not happy with this at all. She's worried about it causing a delay with the wedding." "Well my lad, I am glad I'm not in your shoes right now."

**Toronto General Hospital**

After speaking to the doctor and having a message sent up to the church, Moira spent the rest of the morning dozing on and off. She still felt exhausted and drained but she wasn't sure if part of it was due to the events of the past 24 hours. She was starting to nod off again when Dr Ogden came into the room. Moira pushed herself up into the sitting position. "Good afternoon Dr Ogden." Dr Ogden said "good afternoon, Mrs…" "My surname is Murdoch. It has been for the past 11 years." Julia looking a bit uncomfortable said "yes Mrs Murdoch. I'd like to know what your plans are." Moira arched an eyebrow and said "do you mean am I here to wreck your wedding?" Julia nodded. Moira sat up straighter and arranged the blankets around her. When she finished she looked Julia in the eyes and said "Understand this Dr Ogden. I love Billy. I love him more than life itself. But what happened with my accident and being missing is no ones fault. As far as Billy knew I was dead. He was a widower. He met you and began a relationship and now you are engaged to be married. I will not ruin Billy's happiness. I love him too much to hurt him any more than I have already done. I have contacted the priest about having an annulment. Under the 'unusual' circumstances, I can't see there being a problem with having it granted." Julia nodded and said thank you. "Hear this doctor, I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for the man I love who is the love of my life." A tear rolls down Moira's cheek as she speaks. "Billy's happiness is the most important thing to me which is why I am setting him free. Even though it is breaking my heart to do this." Dr Ogden stunned into silence, nods and leaves the room.

Unbeknownst to both women, William was in the hall and heard the entire exchange.


End file.
